The Catholic Monitor

Spider-Man as a Christ Type Steve Ditko, the original artist and co-creator of the Spider-Man comic, which is now a record-breaking hit movie series, is the Greta Garbo of comic books. Refusing to give interviews for 20 years, he recently refused interviews for major articles about him by the Los Angeles Times and one of Canada's leading newspapers, the National Post. Ditko, however, explained his philosophy of art in a narrative on a 1987 video titled "The Masters of Comic Book Art," hosted by author Harlan Ellison. In his introduction, Ellison dismissed Ditko's plea that heroes in art and literature be measured by the moral courage shown in objective good vs. evil choices. The artist now seems prophetic for saying in the show that if we glorify the anti-hero in art, then anti-life and violence will come into our culture. The anti-heroes of the Columbine-like killings in public schools and the Sept. 11 terrorists seem to justify his claim. What our American and globa...

TV Special on Jesus' Grave -- Another Hoax WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 /Christian Newswire/ -- National Clergy Council president, the Reverend Rob Schenck (pronounced SHANK) issued this statement following a press conference that announced a new documentary claiming proof against the Resurrection of Jesus Christ: "Today, Hollywood director James Cameron, whose claim to fame is a fictionalized account of the sinking of the Titanic, unveiled a documentary claiming a coffin found in Jerusalem 27 years ago once contained the remains of Jesus Christ. Cameron employed archaeologists and DNA experts to bolster his assertion Jesus was buried along with his mother Mary, Mary Magdalene and a supposed son, Judah. "Over the years, Hollywood has attacked and mocked Christianity, providing only negative portrayals of people of faith. It has produced films that undermine moral culture. Hollywood's production of 'The Da Vinci Code' sensationalized a conspiracy theory that the Catholi...

Why Should Catholic Writers Write? St. Teresa of Avila and G K Chesterton show us what the goal of all writers should be. St. Teresa of Avila: -"And as I think that Your Reverence, and others who are to see this, will do what, for love of the Lord, I am asking you, I am writing quite freely. In any other case, I should have great scruples about writing at all, except to confess my sins." -"So Your Reverence must take the responsibility for everything beyond the simple story of my life (since you have importuned me so earnestly to write some account of the favors which God grants me in prayer), if it be in accordance with the truths of our holy Catholic Faith; and if it be not, Your Reverence must burn it at once -- I am quite willing for you to do that." -"I will describe my experiences, so that, if what I write is in accordance with these truths, it may be of some use to Your Reverence; if it be not, my soul will be disillusioned, and, if I am not gaining anyt...

Please read the wisdom of one of the great writers of out time. Fred Is the End at Hand? Written by Administrator Tuesday, 06 June 2006 Is the End At Hand? June 6, 2006 — 06/06/06 Michael D. O'Brien interviewed by Valerie Schmalz, IgnatiusInsight magazine The number 666 is believed by some interpreters of the New Testament Book of Revelation to be the Mark of the Beast, the sign of the Antichrist who will come near the end of the world to engage in the battle of the Apocalypse. American filmmakers and book publishers are never ones to let an opportunity to make money pass them by. The producers of the remake of The Omen are releasing the movie on June 6, 2006. At the same time as the fictional tale of a child born to be the Antichrist hits movie theaters, The Rapture, the final book in the fundamentalist potboiler Left Behind series by Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, is also set for release in bookstores on June 6th. What about this whole End Times scenario? What does the Catholic Ch...

Updated January 22, 2020 Are all Catholics and all persons who believe in reason and transcendent truths such as Pope Benedict XVI at a war with liberal theorists of whom Francis appears to be a disciple and their ally Islam? English professor Louis Markos in his book Lewis Agonistes  shows that Nominalist liberal theorists of whom Francis is apparently a disciple and Nominalist Islam are at war with reason and analogy in knowing God. Their denial of philosophic Thomistic Analogical Realism which underpins the infallible Catholic doctrines as well as traditional art and literature with transcendent truths which is conveyed in material images reveals that they are Nominalistic Modernists. Markos says liberals of the Enlightenment mind set believed only in materially observable “facts” and denied the existence of “transcendent truths in material images” be it philosophy, art, literature or God. Postmodernist liberals such Michael de Certeau who Francis called the "greates...

SACRED CONGREGATION FOR CATHOLIC EDUCATION EDUCATIONAL GUIDANCE IN HUMAN LOVE Outlines for sex education INTRODUCTION 1. The harmonious development of the human person progressively reveals in each of us the image of a child of God. " True education aims at the formation of the human person with respect to his ultimate goal ".(1) Treating christian education, Vatican Council II drew attention to the necessity of offering " a positive and prudent sex education " to children and youth.(2) The Congregation for Catholic Education, within the sphere of its competence, considers it proper to make its contribution for the application of the Conciliar Declarations, as some Episcopal Conferences have done already. 2. This document, drawn up with the help of educational experts and submitted to wide consultation, sets itself a precise objective: to examine the pedagogic aspect of sex education, indicating appropriate guidelines for the integral formation of a christian, acco...